1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is radio frequency communications.
2. Description of the Background
Transmission of data via radio signals is an effective means of communication to a variety of devices located within range of the signal. An advertiser or other provider of the data (including content) may pre-select a radio frequency carrier type (e.g. FM sub-carrier, AM sub-carrier, Cellular etc . . . ), a broadcasting station (e.g. KUS FM), and/or a frequency over which the data will be broadcast (e.g. 102.7 MHz @57 kHz RBDS) based on the geographic location of the target audience. The particular frequency maybe chosen because of its popularity with the target audience, its spectrum availability, the type or device that will receive the signals, and importantly because it's signals will cover (i.e. reach) the targeted audience.
Covering the target audience is deemed essential, and since many applications of radio frequency (RF) communication target an audience existing within a relatively small geographic area, often coverage is not a problem. For example, it is common to broadcast music or news over a pre-selected frequency to all areas of an office building. Pre-selection of the frequency and pre-tuning of the receivers to that frequency is a relatively easy process. Another example of an RF communication within a relatively small area is a radio controlled car that is set to receive signals broadcast over a pre-selected frequency. Yet another example is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,218 to Lowe et al. (October 2001). The '218 patent targets audiences within a few feet of the transmitting device. This is exemplified by an athletic club environment in which a user device receives different broadcasts on different frequencies depending on his proximity to specific pieces of gym equipment having transmitters. Thus, those applications that target audiences over a relatively small area typically work well with pre-selection of the frequency and the station. Coverage becomes an issue and complications arise, however, when the target audience is spread over an area that encompasses more than one frequency, station, and/or band. These complications are due in part to the necessity to pre-select many, perhaps hundreds or thousands, of frequencies and stations in order to cover the entire target audience. Thus, pre-selection of frequencies becomes extremely burdensome when a wide spread audience has been targeted.
The need to employ several stations simultaneously is addressed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,562 to Martinez (May 1985), however the '562 patent still does not solve or even recognize problems related to the difficulty of scheduling and coordinating communications over a wide spread area. These problems are exacerbated by competition for available RF spectrum and perhaps the distance between a data provider and a data recipient.
There is a need for systems and methods which facilitate use of radio signals to communicate to devices that may be spread over a relatively large area.
A system and method of tracking and reselling inventoried items is disclosed. This method includes assigning an audit code to an incoming inventoried item, wherein the audit code comprises a manual audit code and an automated audit code; auditing the incoming inventoried item to assess the incoming inventory item as such for one or more of, for example, the destruction, demanufacture, resale, recondition, storage, and redeployment; sending the incoming inventoried item to one of a redeployment, a demanufacture, a recondition, a resale, a storage, and a destruction in accordance with the auditing; manually updating the manual audit code in accordance with the auditing and the sending; providing, after the sending and the manually updating, redeployment or resale of at least a portion of the incoming inventoried item audited as suitable for at least one of demanufacture, resale, recondition, and redeployment; and, finally updating the manual audit code based upon the information provided to the system.
Further, a system and method of reselling inventoried items is disclosed. This method includes auditing the incoming inventoried item to assess the incoming inventory item as suitable for resale; making the incoming inventoried item available for auction in accordance with the auditing; auctioning the incoming inventoried item by at least one of a line item auction and a lot auction; disposing of the incoming inventoried item, upon completion of the auctioning, in accordance with an outcome of the auctioning; and, tracking the disposing, wherein the tracking updates a code associated with the auditing.
A system for tracking and disposition of inventoried items is additionally included in the present invention. The system includes an audit code assigner that assigns a manual audit code and an automated audit code to the inventoried item, an auditor that audits the incoming inventoried item to assess the incoming inventory item as suitable for one or more of destruction, demanufacturing, resale, reconditioning, storage, and redeployment, at least one of a redeployer, a demanufacturor, a reconditioner, a reseller, a storer, and a destructor associated with the auditor, and at least one updator that manually updates the manual audit code at each of the audit code assignor, the auditor, and the at least one redeployer, demanufacturor, reconditioner, reseller, storer, and destructor.
Thus, the present invention provides an inventory tracking system and method that tracks and audits the status of all items within the inventory tracking system, including disposed items, and that tracks separately, but in communication with the inventory tracking system, auction items, items redeployed, reconditioned or for sale, or items destroyed.
It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for the purposes of clarity, many other elements found in a typical inventory tracking system. Those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art will recognize that other elements are desirable and/or required in order to implement the present invention.